Condenser for solidifying metal vapours



3, 1966 D. M. PEPLINSKI 3,268,219

CONDENSER FOR SOLIDIFYING METAL VAPOURS Filed Jan. 8, 1962 INVEN'I'OR PATE NT AGENT United States Patent 3,268,219 CONDENSER FOR SOLIDIFYING METAL VAPOURS Desmond M. Peplinski, Haley, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Dominion Magnesium Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed Jan. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 164,651 4 Claims. (Cl. 266-19) This invention relates to metal vapour condensers havfiig a removable slotted sleeve for the rapid dissipation of eat.

In an application for patent filed in Canada by Peter W. Gibbs, an associate of this inventor, there is dis closed a condenser for metal vapours, formed by thermal reduction, having a removable sleeve with relatively small vents in its wall to provide heat dissipating solid metal links between the hot metal vapours and the wall of the condenser.

This invention constitutes a marked improvement in operating efliciency of the above mentioned condenser.

In the accompanying drawing FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the condenser attached to a thermal reduction furnace in which metal vapours are produced.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross section on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 3, 4 and are elevational views of the removable sleeve.

The well known condenser 1 is shown attached to the reduction furnace 2. The opening 3 permits production of vacuum conditions in the condenser and the thermal reduction zone of the furnace. 4 represents a conventional water cooling device for the condenser. External atmospheric temperature may be such that the water cooling device is not necessary. 5 is a removable cover, for the outer end of the condenser, with a sealing gasket 6.

In the condenser is a removable sleeve 7 within which metal vapour solidifies by condensation in the form of what is normally called a crown 8. The sleeve is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 9 which is preferably tapered as shown at 10. The slot 9 may terminate about two inches short of one end of the sleeve to facilitate handling of it as shown in FIGURE 5. Within the outer end of the sleeve is a bafii'e 11 which prevents metal vapour from leaving the condenser before it is solidified and which upon removal facilitates pressing the crown from the sleeve.

During the time period of the thermal reducing reaction in each charge to the retort the metal vapour produced from the charge rises from small to large volume, when the full charge reaches the distillation temperature, and then progressively lowers until the reducing action is complete. Thus the condenser has its maximum heat dispensing load at the time the furnace charge has all reached the reaction temperature. Metal in most dense form is produced when the vapour is condensed at a temperature nearest to the melting point of the metal. However if at any time the rate of heat dissipation from the condenser is not sulficient to maintain the temperature in the condenser below the melting point of the metal being condensed, the condensate will liquefy, run back into the reaction zone and be redistilled overloading the condenser and reducing its efficiency.

In commercial operation of the conventional condenser hot crowns tend to form. This results in liquefaction of the metal which then returns to the hotter zone of the condenser and even into the reduction zone 3,268,219 Ice Patented August 23, 1966 of the furnace. It then has to be redistilled with the consequent overloading of the condenser which retards the rate of vapour evolution from the reacting charge as well as yielding a liquid condensate that burns completely on opening up to the atmosphere and introduces operational difficulties on discharging.

The slot in the sleeve permits the formation of a heat conducting solid metal link of substantial area between the vapour zone of the condenser and its relatively cool wall. The amount of heat to be dissipated in a unit of operating time determines the width of the slot. inch has been found to be the minimum practical width. A slot 4 inches wide has given good results. A slot 6 inches wide has been used. In any given set of operating conditions the width to be used is determined by the maximum volume of vapour to be solidified during the unit of time of the thermal reduction operating period.

The longitudinally extending slot has several advantages. It permits the more economical use of hot rolled metal sheets in forming the removable sleeve instead of pipe or tube. The slot gives flexibility to the sleeve to facilitate removal of the solidified metal vapour. It provides a heat dissipating link of great heat transferring capacity. Through more efiicient use of available cooling it permits a greater latitude of temperature control of the condenser zone, enabling operation at a temperature much closer to the melt-ing point of the metal being condensed which promotes the formation of a denser more compact crown. The bulk density of a crown produced with this innovation is increased by 30% over that normally obtained. Such a gain is advantageous not only in the handling of the condensates, but permits melting for subsequent fabrication with lower melting loss. This more effective cooling link has enabled increasing the charge size of the attached thermal reduction unit by at least 25% without altering the dimensions of the condenser. Condensates up to 70% larger have been handled in the same size of condenser with this invention.

The more dense crowns produced facilitate handling and storage of the metal.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for solidifying metal vapour distilled from ore by thermal reduction which comprises an ore reduction furnace, a cylindrical condenser exteriorly of said furnace and having a closed end and an open end communicating with said furnace, a metal sleeve removably seated in said condenser and having an open end portion projection into said furnace through said open end of said condenser, said sleeve having its other end portion disposed in proximity to said closed end of said condenser, said sleeve also having a longitudinally extending slot therein extending from said open end throughout the major longitudinal extent of said sleeve, said slot having a minimum width of one-eighth inch, and a metal vapour retaining baflle in said other end of said sleeve.

2. Apparatus for solidifying metal vapour as defined in claim 1, said slot having a gradually decreasing width from said open end of said sleeve.

3. Apparatus for solidifying metal vapour as defined in claim 1, said slot extending from end to end of said sleeve.

4. Apparatus for solidifying metal vapour as defined in claim 1, said slot extending from said open end of said sleeve to a point adjacent said other end portion of said sleeve.

(References on following page) References Cite 1 by the Examiner 3,033,549 5/ 1962 Ash tt a1 26619 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,039,755 6/1962 Mehal 26619 1 430,445 9 1922 crimes 2 19 CHARLIE MOON, Examiner- 2,397,686 4/1946 Ogren 266-19 5 RAY K. WINDHAM, Examiner. 2,814,477 11/1957 LOOmis et 211. 266-49 X F. R. LAWSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR SOLIDIFYING METAL VAPOUR DISTILLED FROM ORE BY THERMAL REDUCTION WHICH COMPRISES AN ORE REDUCTION FURNACE, A CYLINDRICAL CONDENSER EXTERIORLY OF SAID FURNACE AND HAVING A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FURNACE, A METAL SLEEVE REMOVABLY SEATED IN SAID CONDENSER AND HAVING AN OPEN END PORTION PROJECTION INTO SAID FURNACE THROUGH ITS OTHER OPEN END OF SAID CONDENSER, SAID SLEEVE HAVING ITS OTHER END PORTION DISPOSED IN PROXIMITY TO SAID CLOSED END OF SAID CONDENSER, SAID SLEEVE ALSO HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT THEREIN EXTENDING FROM SAID OPEN END THROUGHOUT THE MAJOR LONGITUDINAL EXTENT OF SAIDSLEEVE, SAID SLOT HAVING A MINIMUM WIDTH OF ONE-EIGHTH INCH, AND A METAL VAPOUR RETAINING BAFFLE IN SAID OTHER END OF SAID SLEEVE. 